Cannery Row (92 Edition)

Synopses & Reviews

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Publisher Comments:

It all begins with a letter. Fall in love with Penguin Drop Caps, a new series of twenty-six collectible and hardcover editions, each with a type cover showcasing a gorgeously illustrated letter of the alphabet. In a design collaboration between Jessica Hische and Penguin Art Director Paul Buckley, the series features unique cover art by Hische, a superstar in the world of type design and illustration, whose work has appeared everywhere from Tiffany and Co. to Wes Anderson's recent film Moonrise Kingdom to Penguin's own bestsellers Committed and Rules of Civility. With exclusive designs that have never before appeared on Hische's hugely popular Daily Drop Cap blog, the Penguin Drop Caps series debuted with an 'A' for Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, a 'B' for Charlotte Br&ouml;nte's Jane Eyre, and a 'C' for Willa Cather's My &Aacute;ntonia. It continues with more perennial classics, perfect to give as elegant gifts or to showcase on your own shelves.

S is for Steinbeck. Unburdened by the material necessities of the more fortunate, the denizens of Cannery Row discover rewards unknown in more traditional society. Henry the painter sorts through junk lots for pieces of wood to incorporate into the boat he is building, while the girls from Dora Floods bordello venture out now and then to enjoy a bit of sunshine. Lee Chong stocks his grocery with almost anything a man could want, and Doc, a young marine biologist who ministers to sick puppies and unhappy souls, unexpectedly finds true love. Cannery Row is just a few blocks long, but the story it harbors is suffused with warmth, understanding, and a great fund of human values. First published in 1945, and drawn from Steinbeck's memories of real inhabitants of Monterey, California, Cannery Row focuses on the acceptance of life as it is—both the loneliness of the individual and the exuberance of community.

Synopsis:

Adventures of cannery workers living in the run-down waterfront section of Monterey, California.

Synopsis:

Unburdened by the material necessities of the more fortunate, the denizens of Cannery Row discover rewards unknown in more traditional society.

Henry the painter sorts through junk lots for pieces of wood to incorporate into the boat he is building, while the girls from Dora Flood’s bordello venture out now and then to enjoy a bit of sunshine. Lee Chong stocks his grocery with almost anything a man could want, and Doc, a young marine biologist who ministers to sick puppies and unhappy souls, unexpectedly finds true love.

Cannery Row is just a few blocks long, but the story it harbors is suffused with warmth, understanding, and a great fund of human values.

First published in 1945, Cannery Row focuses on the acceptance of life as it is—both the exuberance of community and the loneliness of the individual. John Steinbeck draws on his memories of the real inhabitants of Monterey, California, and interweaves their stories in this world where only the fittest survive—creating what is at once one of his most humorous and poignant works. In Cannery Row, John Steinbeck returns to the setting of Tortilla Flat to create another evocative portrait of life as it is lived by those who unabashedly put the highest value on the intangibles—human warmth, camaraderie, and love.

About the Author

John Steinbeck (19021968) was born in Salinas, California. He worked as a laborer and a journalist, and in 1935, when he published Tortilla Flat, he achieved popular success and financial security. Steinbeck wrote more than twenty-five novels and won the Nobel Prize in 1962.

Jessica Hische is a letterer, illustrator, typographer, and web designer. She currently serves on the Type Directors Club board of directors, has been named a Forbes Magazine "30 under 30" in art and design as well as an ADC Young Gun and one of Print Magazines "New Visual Artists". She has designed for Wes Anderson, McSweeney's, Tiffany and Co, Penguin Books, and many others. She resides primarily in San Francisco, occasionally in Brooklyn.

What Our Readers Are Saying

Average customer rating based on 1 comment:

crowyhead, February 4, 2008 (view all comments by crowyhead)
Did you know that John Steinbeck can be really freaking hilarious? I had no idea. I think my only previous exposure had been The Pearl and Of Mice and Men, neither of which are exactly lighthearted reads. Cannery Row, though, has probably just joined my list of top ten favorite books. It tells the story of the folks, based on individuals Steinbeck actually knew, who live around the canneries of Monterey. At first it feels more like a series of character sketches than anything else -- to name a few: there's Mack and the Boys, good-natured idlers who do just enough work to keep themselves in booze; there's Henri, who fancies himself an artist and is building a boat that he will never finish; Dora Flood, the local madame; Lee Chong, who runs the grocery store and engages in near-constant battles of wits with Mack; and there's Doc, who lives and works at Western Biological Laboratories, and who is nearly universally liked by the other denizens of Cannery Row. It's this warm feeling folks have for Doc that actually drives the plot of the novel, which forms somewhat organically along the way. Since Doc has done so much for everyone, Mack figures, why don't they throw him a party to show their appreciation? The result is hilarious, disasterous, and in the end, just absolutely beautiful.

Honestly, if you think you don't like John Steinbeck, do yourself a favor and grab a copy of this book off the shelf at your library. Open to a chapter, any chapter, and start reading. If you can get through the chapter without either sitting down to finish the whole book, or running to the check-out counter to take it home, then, well, there might be something wrong with you.

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Related Subjects

"Synopsis"
by Ingram,
Adventures of cannery workers living in the run-down waterfront section of Monterey, California.

"Synopsis"
by Firebrand,

Unburdened by the material necessities of the more fortunate, the denizens of Cannery Row discover rewards unknown in more traditional society.

Henry the painter sorts through junk lots for pieces of wood to incorporate into the boat he is building, while the girls from Dora Flood’s bordello venture out now and then to enjoy a bit of sunshine. Lee Chong stocks his grocery with almost anything a man could want, and Doc, a young marine biologist who ministers to sick puppies and unhappy souls, unexpectedly finds true love.

Cannery Row is just a few blocks long, but the story it harbors is suffused with warmth, understanding, and a great fund of human values.

First published in 1945, Cannery Row focuses on the acceptance of life as it is—both the exuberance of community and the loneliness of the individual. John Steinbeck draws on his memories of the real inhabitants of Monterey, California, and interweaves their stories in this world where only the fittest survive—creating what is at once one of his most humorous and poignant works. In Cannery Row, John Steinbeck returns to the setting of Tortilla Flat to create another evocative portrait of life as it is lived by those who unabashedly put the highest value on the intangibles—human warmth, camaraderie, and love.

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